Women’s Basketball team Shows Optimism for New Season

Off to one of the best starts in the history of the program, Roosevelt’s women’s soccer team is prepared for the challenge that lies ahead. So far, they have gone 5-4 overall. Their CCAC record (Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) is 2-2. But the girls know they are just getting started with over half of the conference schedule to go. In the end, the ultimate goal is to make it into the playoffs for the first time in the program’s history.

“So far, so good” Head coach Roland Hahn said. “I’m very happy with our start. We’re getting better each year and setting lofty goals for ourselves.”

Sophomore Midfielder Chelsea Olson expressed similar feelings regarding the season so far. “So far, we are accomplishing things that the women’s soccer program hasn’t done before and that is exciting,” Olson said. “We are really gelling as a team this year and learning to play to each other’s strengths.”

Coach Hahn believes that while there is much to be proud of this season so far that the greatest challenges the team may face are forthcoming. “We’re always looking to improve our defense” he said. “We make sure we make other teams work for their goals and we try to eliminate our mistakes.”

Olson thinks that the team is only going to become more united towards their common goal as the season proceeds, “We have high standards for ourselves this year and we take it one game at a time to try and accomplish those things for each other,” she said.

Additionally, Olson believes that the team has the potential to be on the high level that they set for themselves.

“When we are on, we’re really on. So that potential is definitely there. The ultimate goal is to make it into the playoffs this year.”

That potential she speaks of is evident through recent crucial wins against strong opponents. Senior forward Jamie Beniac scored a hat trick to lead the team to a 6-1 victory against conference rival Holy Cross.

Another decisive moment in the season so far came whilst opposing Indiana Weslyan in an early September match, when the team tied the game with under a minute left off of a goal by junior forward Mika Reid. Then, freshman midfielder Monica Munoz scored the first goal of her college career to give the Lakers the win.

Olson, who added assists on both goals in the game against Indiana Weslyan, sees this as a really pivotal moment for the team as time progresses.

“It was a great moment because we pulled together and showed that what we have the potential to accomplish as a team for the rest of the season,” she said.”